1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to such engines with rotary valving systems.
2. Prior Art
Motorcycle engines often have a simplified form of rotary valving but such engines are not subject to the problems involved in larger internal combustion engines such as those found in automobiles, trucks and airplanes.
A Patent Office search directed to rotary valves revealed the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Date of Issuance ______________________________________ 1,011,748 Coffin Dec. 12, 1911 1,477,591 Prescott Dec. 18, 1923 1,923,480 Fish Aug. 22, 1933 2,369,147 Klas Feb. 13, 1945 3,948,227 Guenther April 6, 1976 ______________________________________
None of the listed patents, except Guenther recognize the importance of sealing such a rotary valve and, hence, none of such rotary valves will operate in the high compression environment contemplated by this invention, as claimed.
Turning to Guenther, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,227, he fails to disclose or suggest continuous sealing by carrying the seals on the rotating shaft. His fixed seal would not give continuous sealing and pressure losses would result. Further, his one piece shaft would be difficult and expensive to replace. Additionally, Guenther will suffer shaft wear necessitating shaft machining.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the general disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of this invention to provide, for internal combustion engines, an improved rotary-valve system.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide, for an internal combustion engine a rotary-valve system which will have high reliability under high engine-speed conditions, will assure high volumetric and thermal efficiency and will be easy and inexpensive to maintain.